Life beyond Google Cloud Print
29/08/2022
When it comes to cloud printing, there is often a tension between convenience and security. But with MyQ Roger, you’re no longer in an “either/or” situation.
Convenience is hugely important in printing and this led to the dream of easy cloud printing by Google and its Cloud Print feature. In a nutshell, this feature was designed to enable people to relay documents from their computers to almost any internet-connected printer. You could describe it as “driverless printing” where the end-user didn’t have to worry about finding the precise software driver which would enable their computer to communicate with their specific printer. This goal of driverless printing set the basic parameters of what cloud printing could be when it launched in 2010 – and continued past its final deprecation of Google Cloud Print in 2021.
Then there is the security issue with centralized printing. The popularity of shared multifunction printers (MFP) at the office fueled the move to secure pull printing. After all, when the MFP is down the hall, nobody wants their sensitive documents to be grabbed by someone else in the time between when they press the computer’s print button and walk over to the printer. With pull printing, the end user sends the document from their computer to the printer queue. This document is printed out only after the person authenticates themselves at the device. It’s a highly useful function in places with sensitive or private data.
But, these days, there is no need for an either/or tradeoff – just think about a teacher preparing a class handout for the next day’s class. The teacher is finishing up the lesson in the evening at home and needs to print out the materials – 75 copies of a 3-page handout. The school MFP is located securely in the teacher break room, and nobody will be occupying the printer at 8:00 PM. She would like to print out these materials remotely, without having to physically need to be at the school or even touch the MFP.
With MyQ Roger, our teacher has that choice. She can remotely access the school printer with MyQ Roger, print that handout, and simply pick up these printouts on her way to class in the morning. Even better, this is her choice – not a mandatory default option. When it comes time to print out the more sensitive exam questions, these can be easily sent to the MFP for pull printing.
With this feature activated, there is a 100% safe replacement for the depreciated Google Cloud Print. You can securely send your files to the printer from anywhere – and print them instantly no matter where you are – or release them with pull printing only after you’ve authenticated yourself at the MFP. Because when push comes to pull, the choice is yours.